the life and adventures of baron trenck-2- 第14部分

My　passage　had　to　be　ready　in　case　of　emergency；　I　removed　the　upper　planking；　broke　up　the　two　beds；　cut　the　boards　into　chips；　and　burnt　them　in　my　stove。　　By　this　I　obtained　so　much　additional　room　as　to　proceed　half　way　with　my　mine。　　Linen　again　was　brought　me；　sand…bags　made；　and　thus　I　successfully　proceeded　to　all　but　the　last　operation。　　Everything　was　so　well　concealed　that　I　had　nothing　to　fear　from　inspection；　especially　as　the　new　come　garrison　could　not　know　what　was　the　original　length　of　the　planks。

I　must　here　relate　a　dreadful　accident；　which　I　cannot　remember　without　shuddering；　and　the　terror　of　which　has　often　haunted　my　very　dreams。

While　mining　under　the　rampart；　as　I　was　carrying　out　the　sand…bag；　I　struck　my　foot　against　a　stone　which　fell　down　and　closed　up　the　passage。

What　was　my　horror　to　find　myself　buried　alive！　　After　a　short　reflection；　I　began　to　work　the　sand　away　from　the　side；　that　I　might　turn　round。　　There　were　some　feet　of　empty　space；　into　which　I　threw　the　sand　as　I　worked　it　away；　but　the　small　quantity　of　air　soon　made　it　so　foul　that　I　a　thousand　times　wished　myself　dead；　and　made　several　attempts　to　strangle　myself。　　Thirst　almost　deprived　me　of　my　senses；　but　as　often　as　I　put　my　mouth　to　the　sand　I　inhaled　fresh　air。　　My　sufferings　were　incredible；　and　I　imagine　I　passed　eight　hours　in　this　situation。　　My　spirits　fainted；　again　I　recovered　and　began　to　labour；　but　the　earth　was　as　high　as　my　chin；　and　I　had　no　more　space　where　I　might　throw　the　sand。　　I　made　a　more　desperate　effort；　drew　my　body　into　a　ball；　and　turned　round；　I　now　faced　the　stone；　there　being　an　opening　at　the　top；　I　respired　fresher　air。　　I　rooted　away　the　sand　under　the　stone；　and　let　it　sink　so　that　I　might　creep　over；　at　length　I　once　more　arrived　in　my　dungeon！

The　morning　was　advanced；　I　sat　down　so　exhausted　that　I　supposed　it　was　impossible　I　had　strength　to　conceal　my　hole。　　After　half　an　hour's　rest；　my　fortitude　returned：　　again　I　went　to　work；　and　scarcely　had　I　ended　before　my　visitors　approached。

They　found　me　pale：　　I　complained　of　headache；　and　continued　some　days　affected　by　the　fatigue　I　had　sustained。　　After　a　time　strength　returned；　but　perhaps　of　all　my　nights　of　horror　this　was　the　most　horrible。　　I　repeatedly　dreamt　I　was　buried　in　the　centre　of　the　earth；　and　now；　though　three　and　twenty　years　are　elapsed；　my　sleep　is　still　haunted　by　this　vision。

After　this　accident；　when　I　worked　in　my　cavity；　I　hung　a　knife　round　my　neck；　that　if　I　should　be　enclosed　I　might　shorten　my　miseries。　　Over　the　stone　that　had　fallen　several　others　hung　tottering；　under　which　I　was　obliged　to　creep。　　Nothing；　however；　could　deter　me　from　trying　to　obtain　my　liberty。

When　my　passage　was　ready；　I　wrote　letters　to　my　friends　at　Vienna；　and　also　a　memorial　to　my　Sovereign。　　When　the　militia　left　Magdeburg　and　the　regulars　returned；　I　took　leave　of　my　friends　who　had　behaved　so　benevolently。　　Several　weeks　elapsed　before　they　departed　and　I　learnt　that　General　Reidt　was　appointed　ambassador　from　Vienna　to　Berlin。

I　had　seen　the　world；　I　knew　this　General　was　not　averse　to　a　bribe：　I　wrote　him　a　letter；　conjuring　him　to　act　with　ardour　in　my　behalf。　I　enclosed　a　draft　for　six　thousand　florins　on　my　effects　at　Vienna；　and　he　received　four　thousand　from　one　of　my　relations。　　I　have　to　thank　these　ten　thousand　florins　for　my　freedom；　which　I　obtained　nine　months　after。　　My　vouchers　show　the　six　thousand　florins　were　paid　in　April；　1763；　to　the　order　of　General　Reidt。　　The　other　four　thousand　I　repaid；　when　at　liberty；　to　my　friend。

I　received　intelligence　before　the　garrison　departed　that　no　stipulation　had　been　made　on　my　behalf　at　the　peace　of　Hubertsberg。　The　Vienna　plenipotentiaries；　after　the　articles　were　signed；　mentioned　my　name　to　Hertzberg；　with　but　few　assurances　of　every　effort　being　made　to　move　Frederic；　a　promise　on　which　I　could　much　better　rely　than　on　my　protectors　at　Vienna；　who　had　left　me　in　misfortune。　　I　determined　to　wait　three　months　longer；　and　should　I　still　find　myself　neglected；　to　owe　my　escape　to　myself。

On　the　change　of　the　garrison；　the　officers　were　more　difficult　to　gain　than　the　former。　　The　majors　obeyed　their　orders；　their　help　was　unnecessary；　but　still　I　sighed　for　my　old　friends。　　I　had　only　ammunition…bread　again　for　food。

My　time　hung　very　heavy；　everything　was　examined　on　the　change　of　the　garrison。　　A　stricter　scrutiny　might　occur；　and　my　projects　be　discovered。　　This　had　nearly　been　effected；　as　I　shall　here　relate。　I　had　so　tamed　a　mouse　that　it　would　eat　from　my　mouth；　in　this　small　animal　I　discovered　proofs　of　intelligence。

This　mouse　had　nearly　been　my　ruin。　　I　had　diverted　myself　with　it　one　night；　it　had　been　nibbling　at　my　door　and　capering　on　a　trencher。　　The　sentinels　hearing　our　amusement；　called　the　officers：　they　heard　also；　and　thought　all　was　not　right。　　At　daybreak　the　town…major；　a　smith；　and　mason　entered；　strict　search　was　begun；　flooring；　walls；　chains；　and　my　own　person　were　all　scrutinised；　but　in　vain。　　They　asked　what　was　the　noise　they　had　heard；　I　mentioned　the　mouse；　whistled；　and　it　came　and　jumped　upon　my　shoulder。　Orders　were　given　I　should　be　deprived　of　its　society；　I　entreated　they　would　spare　its　life。　　The　officer　on　guard　gave　me　his　word　he　would　present　it　to　a　lady；　who　would　treat　it　with　tenderness。

He　took　it　away　and　turned　it　loose　in　the　guardroom；　but　it　was　tame　to　me　alone；　and　sought　a　hiding　place。　　It　had　fled　to　my　prison　door；　and；　at　the　hour　of　visitation；　ran　into　my　dungeon；　testifying　its　joy　by　leaping　between　my　legs。　　It　is　worthy　of　remark　that　it　had　been　taken　away　blindfold；　that　is　to　say；　wrapped　in　a　handkerchief。　　The　guard…room　was　a　hundred　paces　from　the　dungeon。

All　were　desirous　of　obtaining　this　mouse；　but　the　major　carried　it　off　for　his　lady；　she　put　it　into　a　cage；　where　it　pined；　and　in　a　few　days　died。

The　loss　of　this　companion　made　me　quite　melancholy；　yet；　on　the　last　examination；　I　perceived　it　had　so　eaten　the　bread　by　which　I　had　concealed　the　crevices　I　had　made　in　cutting　the　floor；　that　the　examiners　must　be　blind　not　to　discover　them。　　I　was　convinced　my　faithful　little　friend　had　fallen　a　necessary　victim　to　its　master's　safety。　　This　accident　determined　me　not　to　wait　the　three　months。

I　have　related　that　horses　were　to　be　kept　ready；　on　the　first　and　fifteenth；　and　I　only　suffered　the　first　of　August　to　pass；　because　I　would　not　injure　Major　Pfuhl；　who　had　treated　me　with　more　compassion　than　his　comrades；　and　whose　day　of　visitation　it　was。　On　the　fifteenth　I　determined　to　fly。　　This　resolution　formed；　I　waited　in　expectation　of　the　day；　when　a　new　and　remarkable　succession　of　accidents　happened。

An　alarm　of　fire　had　obliged　the　major　to　repair　to　the　town；　he　committed　the　keys　to　the　lieutenant。　　The　latter；　coming　to　visit　me；　asked〃Dear　Trenck；　have　you　never；　during　seven　years　that　you　have　been　under　the　guard　of　the　militia；　found　a　man　like　Schell？〃　〃Alas！　sir；〃　answered　I；　〃such　friends　are　rare；　the　will　of　many　has　been　good；　each　knew　I　could　make　his　fortune；　but　none　had　courage　enough　for　so　desperate　an　attempt！　　Money　I　have　distributed　freely；　but　have　received　little　help。〃

〃How　do　you　obtain　money　in　this　dungeon？〃　　〃From　a　correspondent　at　Vienna；　by　whom　I　am　still　supplied。〃　　〃If　I　can　serve　you；　command　me：　　I　will　do　it　without　asking　any　return。〃　　So　saying；　I　took　fifty　ducats　from　between　the　panels；　and　gave　them　to　the　lieutenant。　　At　first　he　refused；　but　at　length　accepted　them　with　fear。　　He　left　me；　promised　to　return；　pretended　to　shut　the　door；　and　kept　his　word。　　He　now　said　debt　obliged　him　to　desert；　that　this　had　long　been　his　determination；　and　that；　desirous　to　assist　me　at　the　same　time　if　he　could　find　the　means；　I　had　only　to　show　how　this　might　be　effected。

We　continued　two　hours　in　conference：　　a　plan　was　formed；　approved；　and　a　certainty　of　success　demonstrated；　especially　when　I　told　him　I　had　two　horses　waiting。　　We　vowed　eternal　friendship；　I　gave　him　fifty　ducats；　and　his　debts；　not　amounting　to　more　than　two　hundred　rix…dollars；　which　he　never　could　have　discharged　out　of　his　pay。

He　was　to　prepare　four　keys　to　resemble　those　of　my　dungeon；　the　latter　were　to　be　exchanged　on　the　day　of　flight；　being　kept　in　the　guard…room　while　the　major　was　with　General　Walrabe。　　He　was　to　give　the　grenadiers　on　guard　leave　of　absence；　or　send　them　into　the　town　on　various　pretences。　　The　sentinels　he　was　to　call　from　their　duty；　and　those　placed　over　me　were　to　be　sent　into　my　dungeon　to　take　away　my　bed；　while　encumbered　with　this；　I　was　to　spring　out　and　lock　them　in；　after　which　we　were　to　mount　our　horses；　which　were　kept　ready；　and　ride　to　Gummern。　　Every　thing　was　to　be　prepared　within　a　week；　when　he　was　to　mount　guard。　　We　had　scarcely　formed　our　project　before　the　sentinels　called　the　major　was　coming；　he　accordingly　barred　the　door；　and　the　major　passed　to　General　Walrabe。

No　man　was　happier　than　myself；　my　hopes　of　escape　were　triple；　the　mediation　at　Berlin；　the　mine　I　had　made；　and　my　friend　the　lieutenant。

When　most　my　mind　ought　to　have　been　clear；　I　seemed　to　have　lost　my